The World Indigenous Nations University is a world network for Indigenous higher education and an entity in its own Indigenous sovereign right, founded upon, operating within, and, bound by the sovereignty of Indigenous peoples. It is aligned both philosophically and pragmatically to the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

The World Indigenous Nations University (WINU) facilitates culturally appropriate higher education for the world’s Indigenous peoples that is framed in Indigenous cultural knowledge, research, theory and scholarship that meets with Western and Cultural Knowledge Standards.

The World Indigenous Nations University Charter is the founding document of the university. It states the historical context, declaration of intent, philosophy, establishment principles, aim, objectives, goals and structure of the university.

Signatories to the charter made the following declaration: We hereby, by our support declare that we will join and support the Charter, the vision and the foundations of The World Indigenous Nations University as expressed in the university declaration of intent, ‘Sovereign Forever, Forever Sovereign’.

Historical Context

The establishment of the World Indigenous Nations University (WINU) was proposed at the meeting of the Executive Board of the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium (WINHEC) in Cusco, Peru in 2011, and its establishment was approved at the 2012 meeting of that body at Hualien, Taiwan. The basic structure and appointment of inaugural office holders occurred at Crown Point, New Mexico in 2013, and also where inaugural Doctor of Philosophies were conferred on four Indigenous Australian scholars for their collaborative thesis that established the governance, academic and research framework for WINU.

The university exists to impart knowledge, empower leadership and provide resources for Indigenous peoples across the world through their own Indigenous sovereignty and knowledge systems. It aims to address the challenges faced by Indigenous peoples across the globe by providing access to a system of higher education that is culturally and professionally resilient and aligned to a commitment to advancing Indigenous knowledges and development through education.

The World Indigenous Nations University (WINU) is a manifestation of Articles 13 and 14 specifically of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), but is also more broadly informed by Articles 5, 35 and 36.

The World Indigenous Nations University is established on the following principles:

1. That spiritual connectedness is inherent in all activities of the university contributing to individual and community wellbeing.

2. That Indigenous languages and cultures are treasured ancestral heirlooms.

3. That Indigenous homelands connect Indigenous peoples to place.

4. That Indigenous people exercise stewardship towards Indigenous communities.

5. That Sovereignty is an Indigenous right.

Foundational Documents

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP)

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)

Indigenous Property and Cultural Rights (IPCR)

Mataatua Declaration on the Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 1993

Coolangatta Statement on Indigenous Rights in Education, 1996

World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education (WIPCE)

World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium (WINHEC)

Honouring WINU’s Founding Leaders (see The Journey)